


Reunion

by redheadthunderhead



Series: We're in This Til the End [1]
Category: Mass Effect
Genre: F/M, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-01
Updated: 2016-05-01
Packaged: 2018-06-05 14:36:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,318
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6708676
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/redheadthunderhead/pseuds/redheadthunderhead
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Shepard and Garrus reunite on Omega</p>
            </blockquote>





	Reunion

**Author's Note:**

> \--Written with my Renegade/Spacer/Sole Survivor/Vanguard, Natalie Shepard in mind.

“Omega is a shithole,” Shepard declared, shoving her way through crowds of mercenaries in search of the Blue Suns Sergeant she had been directed to speak with. The area was a maze, and so far nobody had been helpful. Every door they passed through only lead to another room with more mercenaries, each equally unhelpful as they stared her down like predator stalking prey. The Blood Pack and Blue Suns were particularly unwelcoming due largely in part to their vorcha and batarian members. Shepard was intimidating enough in her N7 armor and was only dealing with what all of the other freelancers were likely hearing. Still, she just kept her eyes forward and tried not to look pissed off when she opened the wrong door. 

Her poor sense of direction finally paid off when she discovered where a YMIR mech was being stored. A grin crossed her face and she looked back to Zaeed. “Keep them off me, I may have made this fight a hell of alot easier,” she said before slipping into the room and getting to work. “This should only take a minute,” she told Miranda. “I’m not great with tech, but a few old friends of mine...there. Friend-or-foe targeting is sabotaged. Who does this belong to? Eclipse?” 

“It should be,” Miranda answered, setting down a datapad she found. “More intel on Eclipse,” she explained. “Already sent to the Normandy and the Illusive Man.” 

“Well, you did one thing right,” Shepard said as she turned to leave the room. “I thought I made it pretty clear that I don’t want anything sent to Cerberus without my approval. ” Shepard knew perfectly well that her request was just one more thing that would go unfulfilled. Even if data was sent to the Normandy, EDI probably still sent it to Cerberus whether it was her choice or not. Without waiting for an response from Miranda, she found Zaeed and kept moving. It took longer than she cared to admit, but even with her N7 training she still navigated an open battlefield better than a building. Garrus always gave her shit for it when he had to guide her through the Citadel no matter how many times they had been there while tracking down Saren. There were only so many times that she could handle speaking to Avina and hearing the same programmed speech over and over. 

The gunship caught her attention immediately when she entered the final room. Nearby stood a group of mercs and a batarian in Blue Suns armor working on repairs. The men parted as they approached, but Shepard could still feel them staring, watching for any sign of hostility. She ignored them for now, there was a job to do. “Cathka?” 

The batarian looked up from his repairs, looking between Shepard and Miranda and Zaeed. He seemed largely unimpressed, though Shepard guessed he had seen plenty of freelancers recently. “Ah...you must be the group Salkie mentioned. You’re just in time.” 

“You were waiting for us?” Shepard asked.

“The infiltration team is about to give us the signal. Archangel won’t know what hit him. Got any questions? This may be your last chance.” 

“So the plan is to jump the wall and head for the building?” As Cathka returned to his work Shepard scanned the nearby terminal for anything useful about the gunship. 

“And try not to get killed too fast. You don’t have to make it all the way across.”

“Oh, I’ll make it across.” Shepard took a step forward, though Cathka was oblivious to the attempt at intimidation that sent a young aspiring freelancer running earlier. Zaeed caught her attention before she could do anything and nodded to the table she was standing next to. Shepard looked to her left and saw what Zaeed was trying to point out, the welder Cathka put down moments before. Shepard nodded back. “Are you leading the team?” 

“Ha! Tarak doesn’t pay me to fight. I just plan the attack and fix the damn gunship.” He turned to face her again, and Shepard pulled her gaze away from the table and tried to look like she was paying attention. “You freelancers get the privilege of--” 

“Target is in sight. We’re a go.” The terminal lit up as the message came through. Cathka’s attention returned to it, giving Shepard the chance she needed to pick up the welder. She hid it behind her back in case he looked and approached, feigning interest so she could get close.

“Check. Bravo team: go, go go! If you plan on going, now’s your chance.” 

Shepard watched the team go before leaning close to Cathka. “You’re working too hard,” she said sweetly, powering up the welder before wedging it into the armor in the middle of his shoulders. She slipped away to follow the team that just left, leaving Cathka to slump to the ground as he was electrocuted. 

“Not bad,” Zaeed said.

"So now we have a hacked mech, damaged gunship, and three pissed off mercenary companies. And if Archangel managed to piss all of them off, he should be a fun guy." Shepard peered around the corner in time to hear the crack of a rifle and witness a heavily armed mercenary be thrown back with the force of the shot. "Ah, shit,” Shepard cursed, taking the time that it took to reload a rifle to move up and duck behind the blockade set up by the mercenaries to block access to and from the bridge and offer cover. Another freelancer was knocked off, dead before he could scream. Zaeed moved up to claim the position, and Miranda followed as the dead mercenary’s partner joined him. Shepard could not help but think of Garrus, and she had to clear her mind quickly. “Okay, remember, we aren’t here to kill Archangel, so don’t shoot him. We need to get up there and talk to him and help kick these mercs’ asses. I’m going over first.” She spoke over the sound of gunfire and screams from the other side.

Shepard lunged over the barricade, dropping behind a crate to survey the battlefield. The bridge offered minimal cover, barely high enough to block a shot from a sniper on the second story of the building beyond. She had no idea if Archangel knew they were coming, so she decided it was best to play it safe. Once Zaeed and Miranda were over, Shepard charged one of the men making a run for the base, biotics easily knocking him over on contact. Her shotgun finished the job and she was behind cover again to give her amp the short time it needed to cool down.

“Shepard, he’s watching you,” Miranda warned. Against her better judgement, Shepard popped her head up to look. Sure enough, the rifle was focused on her. Shepard ducked back down, something in the back of her mind telling her that things were about to get weird. That gut feeling never let her down before. She thought for a minute. She could get across the bridge no problem, she one unintentionally tested the speed of her biotic charge versus a well trained sniper with Garrus. There was plenty of cover, and once they were across Archangel would not be able to see them from his vantage point. With him focused on them, her specifically, moving was risky if he planned to fire, but if he planned to, he already had his opportunity. Shepard risked another look, looking past the rifle to see a blue-armored turian. She recognized the armor color, the helmet, even the rifle. 

Shepard could not stop the grin that crossed her face. She stood completely, relaxed, and stared up at the turian who was definitely watching her through the rifle’s scope. A second later, she flipped a rude gesture up at him and the smirk on her face only grew. Zaeed let out a bark of laughter, but Miranda was less amused as she grabbed her by the shoulder and back behind cover. 

“Shepard, what are you doing?” Miranda demanded.

“Calm down, he’s a friend. Let’s get up there.” 

When they reached the second floor of the building, after taking care of a few mercenaries who also made it that far, Shepard was across the room in a heartbeat. 

“Garrus Vakarian, what the hell are you up to?” Shepard half-yelled, clapping her friend on the shoulder. When he pulled off his helmet, Shepard relaxed completely. Until now she could not honestly say that she was completely sure that it was Garrus they were chasing down. “How have you been?”

“I’ve been better,” Garrus answered. Shepard frowned. His voice was lacking something and Shepard could tell the difference. “

“Well, I’m here to save your ass and kick some mercenary ass,” Shepard announced, trying to lighten the mood. She wanted Garrus acting like himself again, and soon. She needed someone who understood her ways and did not question her actions on the field like all of the other squadmates Cerberus gave her. “How’d you manage to piss off three of the major merc companies in the galaxy?” 

“It wasn’t easy. I really had to work for it.” That was better, Shepard thought as she heard the more teasing tone in his voice. 

“Well, I expect to hear the whole story once we get you out of here.” 

“Then I expect to hear how you came back from the dead.”

“Deal,” Shepard said with a short laugh before noticing that he was watching the newcomers. “Garrus, this is Miranda Lawson and Zaeed Massani. Miranda’s the one to thank for bringing me back, and we picked Zaeed up off the streets, like we did with the entire Saren squad.” There was a friendly fondness as she spoke about Zaeed, the same teasing tone Shepard used with her closest friends, an immediate sign that Shepard got along well with him. She sounded grateful at least as she spoke of Miranda, but something told Garrus that she was not Shepard’s favorite person right now. “What do you need me to do?” 

Garrus motioned her over to the window and looked through his rifle’s scope. “Looks like scouts,” he said, passing over the gun for Shepard to look. A moment later she had dropped one of the approaching mechs with a headshot.

“Eclipse mechs,” she corrected. “You still have this old thing?” Shepard examined the rifle, a spectre requisition that she gave Garrus just before their fight with Saren, before handing it back and ducking behind cover with him as shots were fired from below.

“It’s kept me alive this long. What’s better than a spectre rifle?”

Shepard smiled. “Well, I took care of a big mech on the way in, fucked up it’s friend-or-foe targeting so if they send it out they’ll be in for a surprise.” Garrus lined up a headshot and took out another mech. “Alright, Garrus, cover me from up here. Miranda and Zaeed, keep the mercs out of the base,” she ordered before a well-timed biotic charge brought her right down to the action. With Garrus around, she felt like she could take risks again. Three shots took out three mercs, and another fell to a headshot from the base. She felt their rhythm returning, especially when Garrus started stealing her kills again, something she had discovered during their time tracking down Saren, and for the first time since waking up things felt right.

\---

“Miranda, radio the Normandy. Now!” 

Shepard was almost frantic, at her friend’s side the moment it was safe to leave cover, hands immediately moving to the side of his face where a rocket from the damn gunship had hit to try and slow the bleeding. “Garrus, come on, stay with me. Stay with me…” She almost did not think to use medi-gel, and brought up her omni-tool to administer a dose. The bleeding slowed, but the damage was done and Garrus had lost a lot of blood. He was still breathing, barely, and Shepard wasn’t about to give up in him. 

“He’s not gonna make it,” Zaeed said, and if looks could kill he would have dropped dead from the intensity of Shepard’s stare. She debated getting angry as she usually did when anyone suggested leaving someone behind, but with considerable restraint decided that now would be a bad time. 

“I hear that again, and you’re off my ship,” she said instead after a moment, eerily calm, before she returned her full attention to Garrus. Her face burned, both from heat as she tried to stay calm and a more painful burn along her facial scars. “I’ve been through hell with him, I’m not about to lose him because he took a fucking rocket to the side of the face. If we’re going to take down the Collectors--” 

Garrus moved. It would have gone unnoticed if Shepard had not been intently watching for any sign of movement, but she noticed the twitch of his fingers wrapping around the barrel of his rifle. Shepard laughed, but it came out sounding more like a sob. Typical Garrus. “You son of a bitch,” she mumbled, reaching over to pull the gun closer. “You’re going to be fine, you hear me? I can’t do this without you… Miranda, can they get the shuttle on to the station?”

“Without Aria having something to say about it?”

“I will personally kick Aria’s ass if she gets in the way. I’m not leaving my best friend to die, here or anywhere. We’re getting him out of here.” She realized her hand was still over his on the rifle and closed her fingers tighter. “We’re getting you out of here.”

A gasp and cough both worried and reassured Shepard. 

“Don’t try to talk. Just listen." Normally she would encourage talking. If you were talking, you were still alive. But a rocket to the face was a good enough reason to keep him quiet. "Hah… I think you’ve won the scar competition for awhile.” 

“Shepard, shuttle’s here!”

“Zaeed, help me with him.” 

\---

The Normandy felt too empty as Shepard wandered, taking her first real opportunity to look around. The crew was unfamiliar, and though she tried to speak with many of them she only found herself getting more frustrated as the crew praised Cerberus. Miranda mentioned a control chip, was that common practice within Cerberus? It was possible, as far as she was concerned. Cerberus was an unknown and nothing said would convince Shepard to trust them. As long as her orders were followed she would let the Cerberus crew go on with their lives. She still had people she could trust. She had Joker. She had Chakwas. She would have Garrus. He was going to make it. Tali was out there somewhere. So was Liara. Anderson would not be able to help directly, but she knew he believed in her. She had not heard from her mother since waking up. Was she okay?

"Hey Joker, do you know how much the Alliance has said?" Shepard asked when she found herself in the Normandy's cockpit after running out of new crew to speak with. Normally she went to Chakwas if nobody was available to talk, but she was busy helping with Garrus. “I know I was declared killed in action, and they know I’m back and with Cerberus, but have they made any kind of statement?” 

“I think people are assuming you being alive is a rumor. The Alliance knows, or at least the important people, but I don’t think they’re sharing that you’re working for Cerberus. It would make you look bad.”

“Yeah, have to make sure the first human spectre and killer of Sovereign has a good image,” she snorted, carefully sliding into the copilot’s chair. 

“Former spectre, now,” Joker corrected. “You can’t use the spectre excuse anymore. What did you say to them again?”

“I told them to take their offer and shove it up their ass,” she answered “Udina was not happy. He’s also not happy that I didn’t make him ambassador. Anderson doesn’t enjoy the job either, but I needed someone who would represent humanity without resorting to yelling to get his way.” 

“Isn’t that what you do? Just yell at everyone to get what you want?” 

“Hey, I can be civil. When I need to be.” 

“You obviously haven’t heard yourself during your conversations with the Illusive Man.” 

“He’s a special case,” Shepard insisted.

“Yeah, you can’t just hang up on him like you do with the Council.” 

“Yelling at him is more fun than yelling at the Council. He doesn’t hang up the moment I call him out on his bullshit or hurt his feelings.” She stared at the Normandy’s flight controls for a moment, distracted by the blinking lights. A moment later she was looking out of the viewport, watching small bits of debris get repelled by the Normandy’s shields. “Anyway, why aren’t we docked?”

“Just checking out the new systems. EDI’s running some tests. You really don’t want to keep her docked on Omega, do you?”

“God, no,” she answered. “Just curious. I gave you permission to do whatever you want with her when we aren’t going anywhere for a reason. I’m glad you’re getting a chance to check for anything Cerberus fucked up. I just wish it wasn’t under these circumstances.”

“Yeah, how’s Garrus doing by the way?”

“I don’t know,” Shepard admitted. “I mean, he took a damn rocket to the face. I think I heard Miranda mention cybernetics to Chakwas when I was passing the medbay earlier.”

“Because you definitely weren’t eavesdropping.” 

“Do you blame me? I’m worried, damn it. I haven’t seen Chakwas since the moment we got him to the Normandy. Miranda says he isn’t dead, so I guess that’s comforting.” 

“Garrus is tough. He’ll be fine.”

“That’s what I keep telling myself. I need someone I trust to be out on the field with me. The Illusive Man was pretty clear that everyone else is busy. Liara on Illium, Wrex on Tuchanka, Kaidan off doing Alliance things...and Tali is busy with her own mission.” She would be lying if she said she was not fighting back tears, but emotion was something she tried to keep hidden from most of the crew. She cleared her throat, pausing for a moment to compose herself. “God, I miss them.” 

“So sentimental, Shepard,” came a teasing, dual-toned voice from behind. Shepard was out of the chair the second she saw Garrus standing behind her. 

“Told you,” Joker said. “Glad to see you’re not dead, big guy.”

Most of the damage was covered, but Shepard still saw quite a few scars. He still wore the same armor complete with the chunk taken out by the rocket. “Good to see you too, Joker,” Garrus answered, then looked to Shepard. “They wouldn’t give me a mirror, how bad is it?”

Shepard had to force herself to smile even though it killed her to know that her best friend was injured. “Hell, Garrus, you were always ugly. Slap some face paint on there and nobody will know the difference,” she said, earning a laugh from both him and Joker. “I’m glad you’re okay. Things are fucked up enough as it is.”

“Yeah, I noticed. Cerberus? Really, Shepard?”

“We’re using them to stop the Collectors, nothing more,” Shepard stated firmly. “Alliance knows. I’ll probably be in trouble with them once this is all over but I don’t give a damn right now. They brought me back to life to save the galaxy, and they have the resources.” In the back of her mind, she was worried. Cerberus was the reason much of the old crew had not returned.

“I trust your judgment. I’ve followed you through hell once, and I’m ready to do it again.”

Shepard breathed a sigh of relief. “Good. Time to check out the ship, then? We’ve got some catching up to do.”


End file.
